Statement: R2K protest against looming Eskom tariff hike!
R2K Western Cape activists picketing outside Nersa Public Hearings.
The Right2Know Campaign strongly opposes Eskom’s Regulatory Clearing Account (RCA) application that could see electricity tariff increase by 17% . Eskom submitted its RCA application for consideration by the National Energy Regulator (NERSA) in November last year. According to the National Regulator, Eskom has applied for an RCA balance of R22.8 billion.
R2K will be protesting outside the NERSA public hearings that will be hosted across the country from January 18. As part of the public, we demand full information, full participation and a fair process. How can we be expected to fully participate in these processes when there’s no transparency around matters like the nuclear deal and all the energy-related decisions taken. Such information should be made public.
We need a full and transparent national dialogue around the energy crisis that we face in South Africa. The government is obliged to inform the public on the decision taken regarding the nuclear procurement programme. Access to information is fundamental to a healthy democracy; the public has the right to know about present and future (planned) expenditure of public funds.
Eskom must accept responsibility for its own problems and come up with alternative solutions. The public should not have to pay for ongoing corruption, mismanagement and wasteful expenditure.
Government must invest in more sustainable, efficient and affordable energy options like solar and wind power and to do so with and through the public.
We are calling on communities, organisations, and individuals to make their voices heard by participating in the public hearings and/or joining our protests. On January 19, we will be protesting in Cape Town outside the CTICC from 11:00AM and Gallagher Convention Centre in Gauteng on February 4.
Eskom is stifling consumers, especially the poorest of the poor, who are barely affording the current rates. We also challenge NERSA to ensure that these public hearings will be broadcast live to promote transparency.
